The Montane Air has been a popular ‘fast and light’ waterproof for a few years in Trail reviews, and it remains a benchmark product. It’s built around a 3-layer eVent fabric, which provides well-proven performance in terms of moisture control as well as durability. The fabric does feel a little stiffer than some other fabrics though. The Air weighs just 315g (size L), in part due to its minimalist design, as it has only the bare essentials. So you get just one large chest pocket, but at least this pocket is huge – easily big enough for map. But if you like pockets for your hands then this jacket isn’t for you. The Montane Air’s hood is a superb design too, thanks to it having face and volume drawcords, so you get a good fit and once adjusted it moves well with the head. The wired peak adds extra protection in driving wind and rain, and means it doesn’t matter if the peak gets twisted in your pack, as you can easily reshape it. The hood can also be rolled down and secured at the collar with a Velcro tab if needed. Like many lightweight jackets the front zip doesn’t have an external stormflap, but there’s an internal flap to keep draughts and any water leakage under control.